Today is reverently calm and clear
Cockatoos haven’t yet squawked
their presence over head
Kookaburras haven’t yet congregated
their favourite bough in full view
the multitude of parrots haven’t
yet fed on the ripe palm fruit
above my hammock
gracing me with their beautiful dance
a slight breeze cools my skin
intermittently absorbing blistering beads
the Jabotocaba tree tempts me
off the couch to graze; preferring
to savour my surroundings instead
all is quiet, peaceful
everyone occupied and happy
in their own world as I am in mine
something is afoot; another calm
eye of the storm
the girls and dad are cleaning the cars
the littlest princess armed, sprays
squeals of laughter resonating
out-back to me in my solitude
out-skirts admiring peace
my self looking out onto tropical trees
paradise could be lost in a cyclone; one
never knows which path
it can not continue. scars
crack and re-seal themselves thicker
all that’s left is keloid and nothing
covered up indefinitely
amidst pseudo happiness
I watch and wait to see who is left
anger raised awareness
I tiptoe in this climate, heated
my part tempered enough
to walk away
I have done my best in the face of worse
I stand strong on this earth
not even a blustering gale
could knock me off my perch – grounded
I have endured, faltering only once
the past three years, found strength where I least expected courage
my own ability to ask
no shame, just integrity
I am very proud to let go and be seen
Like a Bird on a Wire – Aaron Neville
© Copyright 2015, Jodine Derena Butler. All Rights Reserved
Poetry Out West 
The beauty is in the fact they havent yet arrived! That’s a great saying. Similar to ‘a watched pot never boils’… I’ve written 2 more Charon…One just recently. It’s OK if you don’t like the content, I just love intelligent thought
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Look at the first verse – isn’t that full of optimism for the start of a beautiful day….mind not sure about the “beauty” of squawking cockatoos!!!!!
With the world today it is easy to find pessimism – the challenge is to find the threads of joy and expand them to optimism for the future – as I was once told “you are a long time looking at the lid” LOL
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I’m practicing writing about beauty and peace but I still manage to bring negativity in there somewhere. I think I’m a pessimist looking for optimism and don’t know where to start…did you ‘like’ the poem?
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I like this poem, on first read it is so simple, but subsequently your talent is once again revealed with several threads intertwined to leave the reader bemused yet bewitched – lovely
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